


Birthday Boy

by velvetcat09



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, ey hbd jackie boy, not really haha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-08-18
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:56:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7804456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/velvetcat09/pseuds/velvetcat09
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“What’s your name, kiddo?”</p><p>“Morrison. Jack Morrison.”</p><p>“Jack.” The corner of Gabriel’s lips was tugged into a smile, he extended a hand towards the younger soldier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Boy

**Author's Note:**

> back at it again with the hurt ey  
> i did not check this thing so apologies for any mistakes i'm so tired from college this is more or less a vent fic (haha)

Jack adored his older brother. He could never bring himself to hate the other Morrison, his brother was a real charmer and all Jack could do was stare at him in awe. He was smarter than him, soft-spoken with friendly-ness radiating around him. Everyone in his town loved him. But Jack was never jealous of him. Sure the younger boy was under the brother’s shadow constantly, but Jack could never resent him for that. Jack was happy for his brother.

Though sometimes he couldn’t help but feel hurt when no one took so much as a side glance at him. It didn’t help that they both shared the same birthday.

“Oh look at you, already going to college, I can’t believe you grow up so fast.” His mom was in tears, a fond smile plastering her face throughout the small gathering.

“Medical school ain’t easy, but I know you have it in you to be a doctor, son.”

Loud chattering and joyous cheers were all Jack could hear the entire evening. He smiled with everyone else, happy for his brother as always. When the party ended, he went into his brother’s room.

“Hey,” Jack closed the door behind him, a small poorly-wrapped package in his hands. He was never really good at wrapping gifts.

“Oh hey, Jack.” Jack took a seat next to his brother on the bed, shoving the small gift to him.

“Happy birthday, I got you that game you really want.”

“Oh wow, thanks, bro!” Jack smiled sheepishly in return before he stood up, ready to leave the room. Jack was on the door when he heard his brother called him.

“Hey, happy birthday to you too, lil bro.” Jack’s smile widened.

“Thank you.”

* * *

 

They were only a year apart, Jack had hoped that this year, he could have a birthday party instead of his brother since the elder Morrison was currently out of town in college. He shouldn’t have set the bar too high in hindsight.

“Sweetie, you sure you’re alright at home all by yourself?”

“Sure, you go have fun with James.” His mom’s tone was fond but he couldn’t help feeling hurt.

“Alright then, take care, Jackie.”

“Tell him I wish him a happy birthday.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” Jack smiled back at his mom.

He set himself too high.

* * *

 

The next year, Jack joined the army. He wasn’t as smart as his brother, so he figured he could do something in military instead. He was only good with his muscles after all, joining the army was all he could think of instead of wasting his parents’ money college. Maybe get himself recognised for once.

He met Gabriel Reyes a few years later when he joined the SEP. The other man was a good few years older than him, but didn’t treat him like a senior would to a new junior. Gabriel treated him with respect and casualness that made Jack giddy with recognition. He was _himself_ for once.

“What’s your name, kiddo?”

“Morrison. Jack Morrison.”

“Jack.” The corner of Gabriel’s lips was tugged into a smile, he extended a hand towards the younger soldier.

“Gabriel Reyes, welcome to military, boy.” The smile was blindingly bright to Jack, and yet people thought he was the one with sunshine radiation off him.

It took them only a couple of years to fall in love for each other. Jack had never adored someone as much as he adored Gabriel. Not even his brother. He _loved_ Gabriel.

* * *

 

Gabriel showered him with so much love and affection. He never really thought how _good_ it felt to be someone’s centre of attention, let alone by Gabriel Reyes. The Indiana boy basked himself in Gabriel’s adoration. He flew too high for him to remember to calculate how much it would hurt when he fell.

 

Like all flowers that bloomed in Spring time, it wilted at the beginning of Autumn. Their relationship began to slowly deteriorate when Jack was chosen as the Strike-Commander instead of Gabriel. Jealousy manifested itself in the older soldier, slowly building a chasm between their hearts. By the time Jack noticed the gap, it was already too late.

Jack shouldn’t have called him during the middle of the night. He knew about time difference, knew that it was 3 am where Gabriel was whilst it was only 9 pm where he was. He should’ve called in the morning instead, but no one had said anything since morning to him. No one had acknowledged him more than just a Strike-Commander on the battlefield and suddenly he felt 17 again. No one remembered. Just like before.

He was pushing his luck, he should’ve known.

“What do you want?” Gabriel gruff voice hissed from the other side of the line, Jack took a shaky breath. He’d made a mistake.

“Uh, _hey_.”

“Don’t tell me you wake me up at fucking 3 in the morning just to say hi because I’m shutting this down if you don’t have anything important.” Jack’s breath hitched, he chickened out in the last second, _God_.

He couldn’t just tell Gabriel. He couldn’t just plainly ask the other man to wish him a happy birthday. A petty request. It was selfish, embarrassingly selfish. Jack blinked back his tears. He was a commander. He shouldn’t have been this selfish.

_It’s just a small request. It’s not important._

“You’re right, I’m sorry, It’s nothing. I’m so sorry for bothering you, Gabe.” He heard a distance grumble from the other before the familiar flat-line was heard.

Jack never mentioned his birthday to anyone anymore after that. Everyone forgot. He slowly forgot his own birthday as well.

* * *

 

Years passed, Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes died under the rubble of what used to be Overwatch Swiss HQ. He saw his grave stone, saw the tacky monument they placed in Arlington. It shouldn’t be him. Gabriel was supposed to be the one standing tall in front of him, not _this_. It should’ve been Gabriel Reyes.

Soldier: 76 constantly blamed himself for everything. It was a habit. _And old habits die hard._

“ _Jack_ ,”

“Hey,” Gabriel stood once again in front of him, insisted that he was just a ghost from the past when Jack could never be surer about him being real.

“You told me about your brother, about your family. I knew that and I still pushed you away. I’m sorry.” Jack couldn’t really meet Gabriel’s bloodshot eyes.

“It was my fault, I was blinded by jealousy. I knew you didn’t want the position but I still blamed you. You didn’t have to—“

“No, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have accepted the position in the first place. It was yours, I took it from you, _I’m_ sorry.” Jack kept his gaze downcast as always, a habit. Gabriel pulled him into a hug.

“ _Stop it_. It wasn’t your fault.” He pressed a kiss to Jack’s temple while Jack buried his face on Gabriel’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry.”

“No fue tu culpa.” Jack finally let himself cried.


End file.
